DCC manager bought vehicle from Citifleet

Dunedin City Council manager Kevin Thompson, who has
resigned in the wake of the council's growing vehicle fraud
scandal, had earlier bought a Citifleet vehicle, it has been
revealed.

Mr Thompson was among about 25 past and present council staff
- and one former city councillor - to have bought Citifleet
cars over the past decade, the Otago Daily Times understands.

The vehicle is believed to have been a 1999 Suzuki
four-wheel-drive bought from Citifleet's vehicle fleet,
although other details - including what year he bought it and
what he paid - are not known.

News of Mr Thompson's purchase emerged after he on Monday
became the second council manager to resign, following last
week's announcement Tony Avery was also quitting.

A Deloitte investigation has found the alleged fraud went
undetected for more than a decade, while 152 council vehicles
were sold and more than $1.5 million in proceeds pocketed.

Mr Thompson, as the council's regulatory services group
manager, was directly responsible for overseeing Citifleet
and its team leader, Brent Bachop, who died suddenly on May
21.

Mr Thompson has not responded to ODT questions this week
about his car purchase, or his resignation. Council chief
executive Dr Sue Bidrose would also not be drawn on details
of the vehicle purchase.

''The DCC has agreed to a police request not to publicly
comment on any details in the Deloitte report, including
details of vehicle purchases,'' she said.

She would only reiterate Deloitte did not find Mr Thompson
''was involved with, or was implicated in, any alleged
fraud''.

The ODT understands - unlike Mr Avery - Mr Thompson was among
five council staff involved in employment processes following
the discovery of the fraud.

It is not known whether Mr Thompson's car purchase played any
part in his resignation.

The council has so far declined to release the names of all
buyers of Citifleet vehicles, but the ODT has confirmed
former council manager Grant Strang and former city
councillor Maurice Prendergast also purchased vehicles.

Both men said they had followed proper processes at the time,
while Cupid Shop owner Carl Lapham, who this week identified
himself as the buyer of two Citifleet vehicles, also insisted
he had done nothing wrong.

The findings of Deloitte's three-month investigation have
been referred to police for further investigation.